Roller printing machines



Feb. 11,1964 R. K. sMEJDA 3,120,302

ROLLER PRINTING MACHINES Filed April 21, 1959 INVENTQR.

QJWMM United States Patent Ofilice 3,120,802 Patented Feb. 11, 1964 3,120,802 RULLER PRHNTENG MACEHNES Richard K. Smejda, 6 Brigachstrasse, Viilingen, Germany Filed Apr. 21, 1959, Ser. No. 807,805 Claims priority, application Austria Apr. 29, 1958 11 Claims. (U. 101-157) The present invention relates to a dye printing apparatus, in general, and to a multiple dye feeding to the printing cylinder of a particular.

Since the multiple-dye attachment of such apparatus extends throughout the width of the printing cylinder, it is difficult to obtain a uniform application of the dye, because the printing cylinder has rarely a uniform cylindrical surface, owing to a deflection of the mandrel in its longitudinal direction and other deviations from a cylindrical shape, if a rigid multiple-dye attachment engages the cylinder, a drawback which is found in known structures.

It is the main object of the present invention to provide a device for adapting and adjusting a multiple-dye attachment resiliently to the printing cylinder which device avoids the known drawbacks.

It is another object or" the present invention to provide a device which permits close cooperation of a multipledye attachment which includes a doctor blade, thereby preventing leakage of dye scraped from the cylinder surface, which would cause considerable loss and contamination of other dye supply rollers.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device which permits such cooperation even during vibration of the printing roller.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a device which obtains a joint action of a multidye feeding attachment which includes a doctor blade to assure the return of scraped off dye into identical compartments from which they originate, and further to obtain the separate removal and separate adjustment of the attachment with the doctor blade for the individual and undisturbed function of each and for independent removal of each in case of sharpening or repair.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, of the outlet portion of a multiple-dye attachment, together with a doctor blade and a portion of the printing cylinder, the rear portion of the multiple-dye attachment being broken off;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the printing frame with the multiple-dye attachment; and

FIG. 3 is an end View of the printing frame with the multiple-dye attachment.

Referring now to the drawing, the multiple-dye attachment 13 is subdivided into a plurality of separate compartments and at the front end of each of the partitions fitting members 1 are provided, which have a concave front end face and fit closely the printing cylinder 2. The bottom of the attachment 13 has secured thereto a resilient blade 3, which is capable of resiliently adjusting itself to bulges and vibrations of the rotating printing cylinder 2 when applied thereto.

The resilient blade 3 does not extend as far as to the surface of the cylinder 2, but leaves a clearance 4, which is closed by a conventional doctor blade 5. When the doctor blade 5 scrapes the surplus dye from the printing cylinder 2, the surplus dye is returned through the small gap 4 into the corresponding dye chamber. A slide 6 extending throughout the length of the attachment serves the purpose to regulate the width of the gap 4 and is roller dye printing apparatus, in

forced against the blade 3 by spaced screw bolts 7 and similarly spaced leaf springs 8. The slide 6 and the leaf spring 8 are formed with slots 9, through which the bolt 7 extends to serve as a guide pin when the slide 6 is pushed forwardly against the cylinder 2. The leaf spring 3 is turned in at its rear end to form an open ring serving as a support and stop for the slide 6. The blade 3 is held in its desired position by a clamping rail 10. The resilient support 11 on the underside of the slide 6 ensures a good seal between the doctor blade 5 and the edge of the slide 6.

The adjustable bearing means for the multiple-dye attachment 13 is disclosed in FIGS. 2 and 3. The multiple-dye attachment 13 is held in position between two bearing plates 14 and a clamping stirrup 15; the bearing plates 14- and the clamping stirrups 15 are interconnected by bolts 16.

The bearing plates 14 support the multiple-dye attachment 13 only at its outer ends. This enables a deflection of the attachment 13 under the influence of a deflected printing cylinder 2. This deflection may be adjusted by a set screw 19 mounted on the clamping stirrup 15.

The clamping stirrup 15 comprises two laterally protruding pivot pins 2%, each of w ich extends into an elongated slot 22. of the side parts 21 of the bearing frame. The elongated slots 22 extend substantially in the direction of the pressure applied to the cylinder 2 and have on the side remote from the cylinder 2 a downwardly protruding portion 22 and at the top an opening 22 for introducing and removing, respectively, the feed system. The multiple-dye attachment 13 is forced against the cylinder 2 by sleeves 23 pivoted by means of pins 27 to the side parts 21 of the frame and screw bolts 26, the latter being in engagement with inner screw threads and acting by means of a compression spring 25 and a loosely inserted bolt 24 on the pivot pins 29. For fine adjustment, the set screw 26 is turned. The coarse adjustment is effected by means of screw bolts 28 attached to both sides of the frame and nuts 29 affixed to the frame base 3th for the side parts 21. In addition to the pressure provided by these pressure devices, a hugging pressure is exerted by two adjustable tension springs 31, which act on the rear edge of the bearing plate 14 at a point which is eccentric with respect to the bearing pins 29 and bring about a lever action which forces the outlet portion 32 towards the cylinder 2 in a direction opposite to that of rotation thereof. To facilitate the concentric adjustment of the outlet portion 32 relative to the cylinder 2, fitting templates 33 can be applied on both sides. The guidance of the multiple-dye attachment 13 by means of the bearing pins 2%? in the elongated slots 22 does not only serve the purpose of adjusting the contact pressure but also enables a quick replacement or cleaning of the multiple dye attachment 13 without need for changing the coarse adjustment at the frame base 3%. First, the set screw 26 is turned back on both sides to reduce the pressure on the pin 24, until the sleeves 23 can be swung about their pivot 27, whereby the pivot pins 20 are displaced in the elongated slots 22. The entire multiple-dye attachment 13 with the clampi g stirrup 15 and the bearing plates 14 is then retracted by hand, the two pivot pins 20 being received and locked in the downwardly inclined protruding part 22 of the elongated slots 22. The bottom of the multiple-dye attachment 13v slides along the top edge of the rail 34 of the bearing frame 21. and is pivotally moved at the same time to assume the position shown in dash-and-dot lines in FIG. 3. This slightly forwardly and upwardly inclined position prevents an outflow of residual dye and exposes the outlet portion 32. The multiple-dye attachment 13 is axially retained by clamping rings 35 provided on the pivot pins 28.

The reservoir 36, having plurality of compartments, is loosely mounted on the multiple-dye attachment 13. The compartments of the former are connected to the compartments of the multiple-dye attachment 13 by a rod valve 37, which tightly bears on the attachment 13 under the action of the weight of the reservoir. The pressure reduction due to the loss of weight resulting from the consumption or" dye would be effective by the lever action at the pivot pins 20 on the outlet portion 32. To eliminate this effect, the rod valve 37 may also be applied close to the stub shaft 20. Another compensation can be efiected by supporting the reservoir 36 below its center of gravity.

The illustrative embodiment shown relates to the application of the device to the last rollers of a roller printing apparatus. Some arrangements must be laterally inverted when the device is to be applied to the material input side of the printing apparatus.

While I have disclosed one embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that this embodiment is given by example only and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the present invention being determined by the objects and the claims.

a What I claim is:

1. In a roller printing apparatus, a printing cylinder, a dye attachment including a doctor blade, both said dye attachment including said doctor blade extending over the length of said cylinder, the present invention residing in the fact that said dye attachment is a multiple-dye attachment having a bottom portion and including said doctor blade, said multiple-dye attachment being resiliently defiectablc in the longitudinal direction of said printing cylinder and resiliently adjusting to a bulge of said printing cylinder in its longitudinal direction, and said bottom portion of said multiple-dye attachment being connected longitudinally with at least one resilient blade defining a gap between the longitudinal edge of said blade and said printing cylinder, and said doctor blade bridging said gap.

2. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, which includes a slide disposed between said resilient blade and said doctor blade, said slide being resiliently deflectable in longitudinal direction of said cylinder and movable in the direction of escape of said dye for closing said gap.

3. The. apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said slide has a front edge which faces said cylinder and is provided with a resilient sealing pad on said front edge.

4. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, which includes at least two oppositely disposed bearing plates supporting the ends of said. multiple-dye attachment, said bearing plates having an intermediate part which is deflectable and is adaptable to any deflections of said printing cylinder.

5. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 4, which in cludes a stirrup member ailixed to said bearing plates and bridging said multiple-dye attachment, and at least one set screw carried by and extending through said stirrup member, the free end of said set screw engaging said mul- V chides two pivot pins disposed at opposite ends of said multiple-dye attachment, and two bearing frames having an elongated slot to receive said pivot pins, the latter protruding outwardly therefrom parallel to said printing cylinder and each of said pivot pins being rotatably mounted in the corresponding of said slots, and each of said bearing frames including a screw bolt and a spring operable to exert pressure in the direction toward said cylinder on the corresponding of said pivot pins.

7. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 6, wherein said multiple-dye attachment has an outlet portion and which includes a tension spring acting on said bearing plates at a point disposed eccentrically relative to the longitudinal axis of said pivot pins and tending to urge said outlet portion against said printing cylinder.

8. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said elongated slots extend in a direction from said printing cylinder and are downwardly angled at the end remote from said cylinder, so that said multiple-dye attachment can'be moved between an upper operative position close to said cylinder and a lower inoperative position remote from said cylinder, said tension spring holding said multiple-dye attachment in said inoperative lower position, so as to prevent an outflow of dye from said outlet portion.

9. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 8, wherein said tension spring holds said multiple-dye attachment downwardly inclined away from said printing cylinder in said lower inoperative position.

10. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said multiple-dye attachment has an outlet portion having a fittin template detachably afiixed thereto, said fitting template being applied to said printing cylinder to set said outlet portion concentricall relative to the rotatin' axis iple-dye attachment and setting any deflection of said multiple-dye attachment.

6. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 4, which inof said cylinder.

11. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said multiple-dye attachment comprises a plurality of compartments and includes a removable reservoir having a plurality of compartments, and a rod valve in said reservoir adjacent said multiple-dye attachment, said rod valve connecting each of said plurality of compartments of said reservoir to a corresponding one of said plurality of compartments of said attachment, and said rod valve comprising a rod resting sealingly 'on said multiple-dye attachment and liftable therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 116,778 Wallace July 4, 1871 194,218 Campell Aug. 14, 1877 1,736,941 Schroeder Nov. 26, 1929 1,812,920 Ballard a July 7, 1931 1,953,105 Flinker Apr. 3, 1934 2,098,750 Krahmer Nov. 9, 1937 2,525,363 Luehrs Oct. 10, 1950 2,542,711 Saunders Feb. 20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Oct. 18, 1916 

1. IN A ROLLER PRINTING APPARATUS, A PRINTING CYLINDER, A DYE ATTACHMENT INCLUDING A DOCTOR BLADE, BOTH SAID DYE ATTACHMENT INCLUDING SAID DOCTOR BLADE EXTENDING OVER THE LENGTH OF SAID CYLINDER, THE PRESENT INVENTION RESIDING IN THE FACT THAT SAID DYE ATTACHMENT IS A MULTIPLE-DYE ATTACHMENT HAVING A BOTTOM PORTION AND INCLUDING SAID DOCTOR BLADE, SAID MULTIPLE-DYE ATTACHMENT BEING RESILIENTLY DEFLECTABLE IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF SAID PRINTING CYLIN- 